What can be said
of Boscobel other than you will be stunned by
the site, awed by the collections and entranced
by the gardens. Built as the country home of
States Morris Dyckman in 1804, the home is now
recognized as one of the most important Federal
Style residences in the country. Saved from
destruction and moved to its current site overlooking
the Constitution Marsh in the 20th century,
the house museum has now become the most important
and renowned collection of Federal Style interiors
and furnishings in the world.

Perched high atop
a bluff overlooking the mighty Hudson River,
and commanding one of the most spectacular views
of the river in the entire Valley, Boscobel
is surrounded by formal gardens, great lawns,
allies of trees and orchards of apples. You
actually experience Boscobel as a visit to a
living estate, an important visitor invited
for a brief time into another era. Experienced
and knowledgeable guides walk you slowly through
the house, pointing out small things, explaining
the style of the times and proudly urging you
into a discovery and exploration of an earlier
and more formal time. If you are a lover of
the Federal Period of America, you will be bowled
over by what you are seeing and the extraordinary
furnishings and artifacts you are being invited
to view. The magnificent collection has been
arranged as a tranquil domestic setting, a family,
albeit a very wealthy family of the time, has
just left for a short while allowing you a quick
peek into their home before they return and
invite you to stay for refreshments.

Take your time,
ask questions and learn about everything Boscobel
has to offer. Stand in the rooms and look around
at every object filling the space. There are
special little objects hiding on shelves and
atop cupboards. Peeking from next to the drapery
are chairs, chests and other domestic furnishings.
The house seems complete, it is alive with the
detail of life, the small as well as the majestic.
As you wander the parlors and bedrooms you'll
be seeing quite literally some of the most important
pieces of cabinetry and furniture from this
period still in existence. Great artists like
Duncan Phyfe, Michael Allison and Charles Honore
Lannuier are represented in the furniture collections.
The walls are hung with paintings by such famous
artists as Benjamin West and John Watson and
outstanding examples of period silver, china
and crystal grace the house. Boscobel provides
the visitor with a rare opportunity to see the
furnishings and decorative arts of the Federal
Period displayed and used properly and within
the correct settings.

After your tour
of the house, take your time to walk the grounds
and gardens of Boscobel. Tarry out on the great
lawn overlooking the Hudson and marvel at the
view, one of the most spectacular in the entire
Hudson Valley. Wander through the Rose Garden
and absorb the heady aroma of the hundreds of
carefully cultivated rose bushes. Wander into
the herb garden and savor the scents as the
waft up and then sit beneath the grape arbor
and relax as the industrious insects buzz about
collecting nectar and pollen.

Your visit to Boscobel
will definitely be one of the great highlights
of your experience in the Hudson Valley. The
architecture of the house itself, the depth
and magnificence of the collections, the friendly
and inviting staff, the beauty of the gardens
and the site itself all combine into a visit
of uniqueness and memory. You will love Boscobel,
and Boscobel is waiting for you to arrive.